Most American Adults Trail Federal Exercise Goals [VIDEO]

Most American adults aren't exercising enough to meet the federal physical activity recommendations, according to new government statistics released this week.

An estimated 79 percent of adults living in the United States don't meet the physical activity guidelines, which advise getting at least 2½ hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, like jogging.

The guidelines also suggest adults do muscle-strengthening activities like push-ups, sit-ups or resistance-type exercises using bands or weights two or more days a week, USA Today reports.

Other research indicates that people are less active than even suggested by the latest statistics, which were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scientists with the National Cancer Institute have found that fewer than 5 percent of U.S. adults get at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity.

The latest statistics were are based on self-reported data from more than 450,000 respondents participating in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual phone survey of adults 18 years of age and older.

The new research found:

• 21 percent of adults think they've met both the aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines;
• 52 percent of those surveyed thought they were meeting the aerobic activity guidelines;
• 29 percent of study participants said they were meeting the muscle-strengthening activity recommendations;

The range of people meeting the overall guidelines varied by state --- for example 27 perecent of those from Colorado met the guidelines, compared to 13 percent in Tennessee and West Virginia; and

Women, Hispanics, older adults and obese adults were all less likely to meet the exercise guidelines.

"This is a great start and we can use this information to encourage other adults to increase their aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity," Carmen Harris, an epidemiologist in the CDC's physical activity and health branch, was quoted saying by USA Today. "Improving access to safe and convenient places, such as parks, walking trails and sidewalks, can increase opportunities for physical activity in communities."

Then again, Tim Church, director of preventive medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, said it "amazes me that given all the well-known benefits of physical activity that so few Americans choose to be regularly active. The most powerful thing you can do for your health is become active."

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, here are a few ways people can start meeting recommended goals:

1. Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day for five days, then exercise with resistance bands the other two days;
2. Run for 25 minutes three days, then lift weights the other two days;
3. Bike to and from work for 30 minutes on three days, play softball for 60 minutes one day and then use weight machines two days;
4. Play doubles tennis for 45 minutes two days, lift weights one day, hike vigorously for 30 minutes and then go rock climbing one day.